Month: April 2016

As well as the hybrid SOG Bladelights I reviewed recently, SOG also have a line of dedicated lights named ‘Dark Energy’. I have four of them on test, the DE-01, DE-02, DE-03 and DE-06 to compare the different power options and their performance.

In case you notice that the DE-03 (AA powered) looks a little worn, that particular light has been a show demo light and was supplied in well used condition alongside the other new, boxed, models.

As each light is built around the power source, the sizes vary accordingly. From left to right, the DE-06 uses 1×18650, DE-02 uses 2xCR123, DE-03 uses 1xAA and the DE-01 with a CR123.

Taking a more detailed look at the DE-06:

Of the four models on test, three have very similar details (DE-01, DE-02 and DE-03) but the DE-06 is different so needs its own section.

SOG’s presentation is excellent with a distinctive bevelled edge box.

Even with the DE-06, which is the only rechargeable model, the contents are minimal. As well as the DE-06 there is a Nextorch branded 2600mAh 18650 cell and a single bay charger with mains adapter.

The basic single bay charger with cell fitted.

Immediately you can see the strong SOG styling of the Dark Energy series with more knurling than most lights, including the head.

SOG offer engraving on just about all their products, so you will notice some customisation on these samples.

The wide clip is attachedto the side of the light with two screws.

You can tailstand these lights and the switch boot is recessed. With gloves it can be more difficult to operate the switch.

A broad gold-plated sprung-plunger acts as the negative terminal and the battery tube contact is gold-plated as well.

In the DE-06 only, the threads are fully anodised meaning you can lock-out the light. The threads are well lubricated and nearly square.

Looking inside the battery tube, the positive contact is a spring terminal.

Though not specified on the packaging, the LED is an XM-L2.

Unlike the other models, the DE-o6 uses a smooth reflector.

As well as the laser engravings on the DE-06, it also has ‘SOG’ machined into the side prior to anodising.

Just for scale, this is the DE-06 next to its 18650 cell.

Taking a more detailed look at the DE-01:

This one has been chosen to represent several models as the details of the DE-01, DE-02 and DE-03 are all very similar (apart from battery tube length).

SOG’s packaging is the same for the entire series and other SOG products as well.

Even simpler than the DE-06, the DE-o1 simply comes with a CR123 primary cell with SOG branding.

All of the Dark Energy lights have extensive aggressive knurling and here you can see traces of the packaging that the knurling on the head has scratched off. There are no flaws in the anodising, what you see is debris from the packaging.

A closer view of this knurling.

The DE-01 uses a slimmer pocket clip which is fixed to the side with two screws.

Even on the smallest of the lights, the custom engraving has been fitted on.

Looking closer, the engraving is still clear enough despite being reduced to a very compact size.

As with the DE-06 the switch is slightly recessed and tail standing is possible.

Where the DE-01, DE-02 and DE-03 really differ from the DE-06 is with the tailcap. A very different configuration with an exposed spring terminal and bare threads.

Bare aluminium standard threads are used.

Inside the battery tube, the positive terminal is not sprung.

Textured reflectors are used for the smaller models. This is more suited to EDC tasks.

There is a SOG identifier around the XP-G R5 LED.

The beam

Please be careful not to judge tint based on images you see on a computer screen. Unless properly calibrated, the screen itself will change the perceived tint.

The indoor beamshot is intended to give an idea of the beam shape/quality rather than tint. All beamshots are taken using daylight white balance. The woodwork (stairs and skirting) are painted Farrow & Ball “Off-White”, and the walls are a light sandy colour called ‘String’ again by Farrow & Ball. I don’t actually have a ‘white wall’ in the house to use for this, and the wife won’t have one!

All exposure have been kept the same for this series of indoor and outdoor beamshots to allow a direct comparison of the different outputs to be made.

Despite the textured reflector of the smaller lights, there is still a bright hotspot in the DE-01’s beam. The spill is relatively dim and the outer spill shows the shaping of the bezel.

Moving to the DE-02 the main difference here is that the output is higher; the beam characteristics are the same.

Again with the DE-03 (the dimmest of all being AA powered) the beam characteristics are the same as the previous two.

With its smooth reflector and larger emitter, the DE-06 has a better beam overall with wide hotspot and much more usable spill.

Moving outdoors the DE-01’s beam shows the benefit of the small hotspot as it gives the beam a reasonable range for its output.

As the DE-02 has 2x CR123 it is simply a brighter version of the DE-01.

At the extended range and only having a single AA for power, the DE-03 starts to run out of steam.

The combination of 18560 (li-ion) power, a larger smooth reflector and a powerful XM-L2 LED gives the DE-06 much more punch that the smaller lights.

Modes and User Interface:

All the Dark Energy lights use a very intuitive dual function tail-cap switch. It operates like both a forward-clicky and reverse-clicky at the same time.

From OFF, using the momentary operation, you get High mode every time and you can tap the switch as many times and as quickly as you like, you only get High.
Once clicked ON, now if you tap the switch (half press) you cycle through the available modes.
Once you switch OFF, you will then get High on the first press every time.

For the DE-01, DE-02 and DE-03, the modes are High -> Low -> Strobe -> High etc…
For the DE-06 the modes are High -> Medium -> Low -> Strobe -> High etc…

Simple, intuitive and predictable.

Batteries and output:

The DE-01 runs on 1xCR123.
The DE-02 runs on 2xCR123.
The DE-03 runs on 1xAA.
The DE-06 runs on 1×18650 (also 2xCR123 and 1×17670).

To measure actual output, I built an integrating sphere. See here for more detail. The sensor registers visible light only (so Infra-Red and Ultra-Violet will not be measured).

Please note, all quoted lumen figures are from a DIY integrating sphere, and according to ANSI standards. Although every effort is made to give as accurate a result as possible, they should be taken as an estimate only. The results can be used to compare outputs in this review and others I have published.

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________________________________

________________________________

Model/Mode using specified cell

I.S. measured ANSI output Lumens

PWM frequency or Strobe frequency (Hz)

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________________________________

________________________________

DE-01/High – CR123

199

0

DE-01/Low – CR123

79

760

DE-01/Strobe – CR123

55

9.8

DE-02/High – 2xCR123

252

0

DE-02/Low – 2xCR123

91

760

DE-02/Strobe – 2xCR123

70

10.2

DE-03/High – AA Eneloop

115

0

DE-03/Low – AA Eneloop

43

740

DE-03/Strobe – AA Eneloop

33

9.8

DE-06/High – Supplied 2600mAh 18650

716

0

DE-06/Medium – Supplied 2600mAh 18650

255

2940

DE-06/Low – Supplied 2600mAh 18650

21

1420

DE-06/Strobe – Supplied 2600mAh 18650

377

8.3

* Beacon and Strobe output measurements are only estimates as the brief flashes make it difficult to capture the actual output value.

There is parasitic drain in all models:
In the DE-01, drain was 8uA (averaged as it varied from 3-12uA) giving 19.96 years to drain the cell.
In the DE-02, drain was 6.8uA giving 23.49 years to drain the cell.
In the DE-03, drain was 24uA (averaged as it varied from 4-44uA) giving 9.03 years to drain the cell.
In the DE-06, drain was 5uA giving 77.57 years to drain the cell.

Both CR123 powered lights show good regulation and the AA powered DE-03 has a reasonably consistent output. Though always much higher in output than the other lights, the DE-06 is not regulated (or not able to maintain regulation with the supplied cell).

Troubleshooting

This section is included to mention any minor niggles I come across during testing, in case the information helps anyone else.

No serious issues were encountered during testing.
However, I did find the switch on the DE-06 failed to latch at times. With the recessed switch design I found I ended up pushing the switch sideways as well as in and when doing this occasionally had the issue. Pressing the switch straight in always worked correctly, so it was the sideways pressure that caused the occasional issue.

As per the description of this section, this information is provided in case anyone else finds a similar ‘issue’ that might be fixed in the same way.

The Dark Energy lights in use

My personal lighting requirements generally mean I want to start on low, but reliably starting on high is important for many users, and with the excellent dual function switch these Dark Energy lights allow you to know every time you pick them up you get maximum output on the first press every time.

With that usage in mind, I would have preferred a protruding switch to make it easy to hit the button gloved or not.

The extensive knurling is aggressive and abrasive but ensures a very firm grip whatever your hands or the light are covered in and wherever you grab it. Storage and carry need some consideration as it will wear through fabrics fairly fast.

Especially with this feature of the knurling, the lack of a holster is a disappointment as a properly matched holster would take away the problem of finding a suitable carry solution for these lights.

For each model the output levels are sensible and do not push the cells too hard. In these days of lumen chasing SOG have taken a good approach as you get a good balance of output and runtime.

With relatively limited outputs, the smaller Dark Energy lights use a more focused beam which extends their usable range. This choice does mean they are not so good for close range and indoor uses as you can get hotspot tunnel vision.

In the output measurements you will see that the lower levels use PWM. Fortunately this has been set at a reasonably high frequency. Despite my PWM hypersensitivity, I did not notice the DE-06 giving any PWM effects. For the DE-01, DE-02 and DE-03 the frequency is a bit lower and this did result in me noticing a few PWM effects, but it was not bad. (1000Hz is the critical point where above this I can’t visually detect PWM and below this I can – 300Hz and below becomes very noticeable)

In a crowded market, the outstanding features of this series of lights is the dual function switch and resulting user interface, and the distinctive all-over knurling with super secure grip that this gives you.

Review Summary

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Things I like

What doesn’t work so well for me

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Excellent Dual-Function switch.

No Holster provided.

Superb grip from all-over knurling.

Knurling is very abrasive.

Reliably switches onto Maximum output.

Recessed switch sometime difficult to fully press.

Choice of power sources and sizes.

Occasional PWM effects on low mode (except DE-06).

Quality personalisation engraving available.

Discussing the Review:

Please feel free to add comments to the review, but the ideal place to freely discuss these reviews is on a forum. If you started reading the shorter forum version of the review, but followed the link this full exclusive review, please return to that forum to discuss the review there.
If you read the review entirely on Tactical Reviews, please consider one of the following to join in any discussion.

Streamlight have been adding USB power into their range and in this review we take a look at the ProTac HL USB along with the Portable USB Charger

Taking a more detailed look:

Everything shown here actually came in a completely plain white outer cardboard box (which didn’t really show up in these white background photos).

The package is comprehensive as it includes the ProTac HL USB, a holster, USB cable, mains USB charger and 12v Car USB charger.

A simple holster is provided.

The belt loop has a Velcro closure so it can be fitted without taking your belt off.

Laser-engraved on the side is the model and serial number. There is not enough flat space for the writing so it spills over onto the knurling.

Already fitted is a removable, powder-coated, pocket clip.

As with most Streamlight lights, the main switch has the Streamlight logo.

Taking the tailcap out reveals its long twin-springs. This is part of a special design catering for the use of the Streamlight proprietary 18650, standard 18650s and CR123 cells.

Standard fully-anodised threads are used.

Streamlight’s proprietary 18650 cell has a full plastic casing with one standard negative terminal.

Swapping round to the front end of the cell, there is a dual pole contact system which relates to the built-in USB charging of the Protac HL USB.

For an 18650 light, the Protac HL uses a slightly larger tube than most, but this is due to the clever system to accommodate 18650 and CR123 cells without any rattle. Inside the battery tube are three sprung strips which keep whatever cells are being used securely in place.

While we are looking very closely, the surface texture has a subtle sheen.

So where is the USB part? Starting here with a reverse angle view with the USB port cover closed.

Then with the port cover pulled back.

Under the port cover is a micro USB port and a charging indicator light.

Oddly the Protac HL doesn’t make full use of the size of the head, instead having a thick bezel and smaller reflector. For its diameter the reflector is relatively deep.

Though Streamlight never specify the actual LED used, this sample has an XM-L2 LED.

Of course, if you are out and about with no mains or car charger available, a Portable USB Charger is ideal for topping up the battery.

Taking a more detailed look at the Portable USB Charger:

Taking a slight digression from the Protac HL USB light and onto the Streamlight Portable USB Charger. This is how it arrives.

There is a short USB cable which you can use to charge it, or charge other devices, and the instructions.

A nice feature of the Streamlight powerbank is that is has a weatherproof cover over the ports. The cover is held on with an elasticated cord, so you need to positively pull it off.

Once opened the cover stays at an angle and cannot be lost. There is a 5mm LD built in which allows this to be used as a basic light and this has been switched on in this photo.

When you turn it on with a click of the power switch, there are four lights to indicate the state of charge. This is showing approximately 75% remaining.

Though not specified as fully waterproof, the seal has a triple flange.

Thought it looked familiar? Well yes, it is rather reminiscent of the Streamlight Sidewinder.

Any standard USB device can be charged.

When charging the USB Portable Charger, the indicator lights tick up to show it is charging, with each 25% LED staying lit once that level of charge has been reached, and then all stay on once fully charged.

Back to the ProTac HL USB …

The beam

Please be careful not to judge tint based on images you see on a computer screen. Unless properly calibrated, the screen itself will change the perceived tint.

The indoor beamshot is intended to give an idea of the beam shape/quality rather than tint. All beamshots are taken using daylight white balance. The woodwork (stairs and skirting) are painted Farrow & Ball “Off-White”, and the walls are a light sandy colour called ‘String’ again by Farrow & Ball. I don’t actually have a ‘white wall’ in the house to use for this, and the wife won’t have one!

The beam is a pretty good all-rounder. There is a wide hotspot and usable spill.

Giving it a bit of range and the beam smoothes out further and give a nice field of view.

Modes and User Interface:

Thanks to Streamlight’s TEN TAP programming, you have the choice of three different mode sets. These are:
High – Strobe – Low (Factory default)
High Only
Low – Medium – High

There is no mode memory so every time you use it, it will start from the first mode in the set. To access sub-modes, you use rapid half-presses of the switch.
For example, on the factory default mode set, one press gives you High, a rapid double tap gives you Strobe, and a rapid triple tap for Low.

The switch is a momentary ‘forward-clicky’ so once you have the mode you want, you can fully press the switch to click the mode on.

TEN TAP programming is simple. To cycle through the available mode sets, rapidly press the switch 9 times and then on the tenth hold it on. Continue to hold until the light goes off then release the switch. Doing this moves you to the next mode set, so simply repeat until you have the one you want.

Batteries and output:

The ProTac HL USB runs on its own rechargeable 18650 cell, any standard button top 1860 or 2x CR123. The manual also mentions not using RCR123, but only due to the lower capacity, not because it will damage the light.

To measure actual output, I built an integrating sphere. See here for more detail. The sensor registers visible light only (so Infra-Red and Ultra-Violet will not be measured).

Please note, all quoted lumen figures are from a DIY integrating sphere, and according to ANSI standards. Although every effort is made to give as accurate a result as possible, they should be taken as an estimate only. The results can be used to compare outputs in this review and others I have published.

___________________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

ProTac HL USB using supplied cell

I.S. measured ANSI output Lumens

PWM frequency or Strobe frequency (Hz)

___________________________________________

________________________________

________________________________

High

856

0

Medium

360

0

Low

92

0

* Beacon and Strobe output measurements are only estimates as the brief flashes make it difficult to capture the actual output value.

Peak Beam intensity measured 8700 lx @1m giving a beam range of 187m.

There is no parasitic drain.

Maximum output is delivered in a burst format, lasting around 3 minutes before making a controlled reduction. Turning the light off and on again restarts the 3 minute burst. If left on permanently (as in this runtime test) the output initially reduces and then remains well regulated until it steps down slightly after 30 minutes. The remaining runtime is also well regulated right up to the point the cell runs low and output quickly drops.

Troubleshooting

This section is included to mention any minor niggles I come across during testing, in case the information helps anyone else.

No issues were encountered during testing.

As per the description of this section, this information is provided in case anyone else finds a similar ‘issue’ that might be fixed in the same way.

The ProTac HL USB in use

Though the ProTac HL USB uses a wider battery tube than most 18650 lights, by keeping the head roughly the same size as the battery tube, overall the light is not overly bulky. With my XL glove sized hands, I find the ProTac HL USB a very comfortable size.

Tailstanding can be a useful feature, and the tailcap design allows for this, but what it means is that the switch is relatively recessed and can become a little difficult to press and click-on, especially when wearing gloves. It requires more of a stab with the tip of your thumb than a press with the pad.

I’ve always like the Streamlight TEN TAP programming, and wish there were more mode-sets available. My preference is for the Low-Medium-High mode set. What I really do like is that when then choosing your output level, this system keeps it very simple; you have a single tap, double tap, or 3 or more taps. If you rapidly press the switch 5 or 6 times you still get the third output level in the mode set. Timing on the mode changes seems to work very well and I always managed to get the mode I want.

Access to the USB charging port is easy as the cover is a simple slider. What does worry me is that the cover is retained only by the o-rings at each end. Once these o-rings wear the cover may not stay in place securely, so it might be better if there was a screw thread to hold it in place. This is a trade off between ease of use and reliability.

Great news is that in the ProTac HL USB Streamlight have not used PWM. All output levels are current controlled and a pleasure to use.

The included 18650 is only 2200 mAh; comparing this to current ‘normal’ capacities of 3400mAh it is somewhat behind the rest. There may be some reliability in a lower capacity cell, but this is slightly disappointing. Of course you can pop a 3400mAh 18650 in and use it, but you can’t charge it in the ProTac HL USB.

Being able to also use standard 18650 (button top) and CR123 cells is a great feature as you are not tied into the proprietary Streamlight cell and can carry backup cells. If you want to use the built-in charger then you have to use the Streamlight cell, but you get one with it so that is not a big issue. Streamlight’s anti-rattle battery tube works very well (but can be a bit tight on some 18650s) and stops CR123s making the light feel cheap as they don’t rattle about.

It may not be outstanding in terms of overall output, or for being compact, but the ProTac HL USB is a workhorse of a light and the package gives you a full kit of parts which can be used for other purposes. I use the mains and 12V USB chargers for my phone and the Portable USB Charger as well as the ProTac HL USB. Simple, programmable and rechargeable.

Review Summary

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_______________________________________________

Things I like

What doesn’t work so well for me

_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

USB Rechargeable.

Switch can be a little difficult to press.

Can use standard 18650 and CR123 cells.

Charging port cover only held closed by o-rings.

No PWM.

Supplied 18650 only 2200mAh

TEN TAP Programming.

Anti-Rattle battery tube.

Discussing the Review:

Please feel free to add comments to the review, but the ideal place to freely discuss these reviews is on a forum. If you started reading the shorter forum version of the review, but followed the link this full exclusive review, please return to that forum to discuss the review there.
If you read the review entirely on Tactical Reviews, please consider one of the following to join in any discussion.

The Ontario Knife Company Black Bird SK-5 review is the third of a three-knife review series featuring the Black Bird SK-5, RD Tanto and RTAK II. (See – OKC Group Review.)

The Black Bird SK-5 is a survival knife designed by Paul Scheiter and is intended to be highly functional and yet very simple.

The Blade and Handle Geometry:

Most knives specifications have a basic description of the blade geometry, but in this section I will be taking a more detailed look at geometry and balance.

Using a set of gauges and precision measuring equipment including a Vernier protractor, callipers, fixed radius gauges and the unique Arc Master adjustable radius gauge (the one that looks like a crossbow).

These measurements have been tabulated and are presented along with a few reference blades (8″ Chef’s Knife, 5.5″ Santoku and the popular Fällkniven F1).

The ‘Balance relative to the front of the handle’ tells you if the knife will feel front heavy, or if the weight is in your hand (a positive value means the weight is forward of the front of the handle). The ‘Balance relative to the centre of the handle’ indicates how close to a ‘neutral balance’ the knife has in the hand.

In the case of full convex grinds the approximate centre of the grind is used for the primary bevel angle estimate.

The blade is made from 154CM steel.

Explained by the Maker:

The reasons for certain design choices may not be clear when simply looking at an object, so this section is intended to give an insight into the thinking behind a design by speaking to the designer themselves.

Unfortunately I can’t always get time with the designer so will use this section to include relevant information about the knife and its designer. The following information was noted from an interview with Paul Scheiter by Adam from Equip2Endure

Starting with the name, why is it the SK-5? Well, the ‘SK’ of ‘SK-5’ stands for Survival Knife and the ‘5’ is for its 5 inch blade length, so SK-5 allows for a possible future series with an SK-4 and SK-3.

The concept of this knife is to have sheer simplicity and to achieve maximum function because of that. There is nothing gadgety on the knife, and it only has the bare basics. This gives a knife that has everything it needs and nothing that it doesn’t.

The result is something that is very comfortable in the hand which you can use for hours on end. There are no abrupt angle changes anywhere that your hand would come in contact with, so you are not going to get hotspots and blisters. This is really important for a survival knife where you will be doing a lot of wood processing and splitting.

A notable point is the steel choice of 154CM; in addition to there being a good compromise of edge retention and corrosion resistance, it allows for there not to be a powder-coat on the blade. Amongst other things, not having the powder-coat makes it easy to strike a ferro-rod.

The full flat grind gives the ideal cutting geometry; it stays as thin as possible for as long as possible, and reduces the calories used when cutting wood.

A spear point tip puts a little more metal behind the point, making it less prone to breaking if it gets torqued. The tip itself is placed in the dead centre line of the blade making tasks, such as the initial shaping of a bow drill pit, straightforward as this knife will drill very nicely.

The pommel of the knife is flat and perpendicular to the blade so that if you wanted to use it as a spear head (which would not be recommended, but sometimes it may be a necessity), you can carve a shelf into a piece of wood so the pommel seats perfectly onto this, giving you thrusting power, then you put the lashing around the handle to complete the spear.

Blade stock thickness at 0.13 inches was chosen as a sweet spot where you can confidently baton with it but not take away too much from wood carving which is the primary intention.

At various shows, Paul has noted that people have generally been surprised that it is a lot lighter than it looks.

On a final note about how to carry the knife, Paul Sheiter’s preferred carry option is not to wear the knife on his belt but to use a high over-the-shoulder strap/band (like a cross-body sling bag) as it allows the knife to be kept in sight to the front of the body and if wearing a winter coat you don’t have to lift the coat to access the sheath.

A few more details:

Just as with the others in this series, the Black Bird SK-5 comes in Ontario Knife Company’s standard knife box.

Inside the box the knife has a cardboard protector over the blade, and the knife is not fitted into the sheath. There was also a letter explaining that this knife had upgraded G-10 handle slabs.

The first proper view of the Black Bird and its sheath.

Before going back to the knife, a quick look at a few details of the sheath. On the back, the sheath has a PALS/MOLLE strap for mounting on a pack, vest or load carrier.

The press stud used on the retention strap is a military specification type where you can only release it from one direction.

It is possible to change the fit of the retention strap using the Velcro adjustment.

Inside the sheath is a felt liner.

As well as there being PALS webbing on the front of the sheath, here you can also see the drainage hole at the bottom to allow water out.

Back to the knife and its details. On one side the maker and model are engraved on the blade near next to the handle.

There are three details I’d like focus on in this photograph:
– The generous lanyard hole allows for easy fitting of a lanyard.
– Inside the lanyard you can see evidence of the water-jet cutting and slightly imperfect fit of the handle material, but on the outer edges of the handle and blade tang have been ground to a smooth finish.
– We are looking at the handle grip hook which gives plenty of purchase for all tasks.

Although the handle slabs are flat sided, they have been well rounded to remove sharp edges. Three bolts are used to secure the grips.

A close look at the blade tip showing the blade-flat surface finish as well as the factory edge and its finish.

One of my personal preferences, a sharpening choil.

As mentioned earlier, the handle slabs and blade tang are ground/sanded to a completely flush fit.

A sharp edge is left all along the spine meaning you can strike a ferro-rod from any part of the spine that suits you.

Though not a mirror finish, you can see the reflection of the handle on the blade flat so you could use the knife for signaling.

Unlike the other OKC knives in this series of reviews, the Black Bird’s sheath has only a single retaining strap. There is enough room for the knife to come about half an inch out of the sheath with the retaining strap closed.

For the last photo in this section, we have en extremely close view of the peely-ply G-10 handle texture.

What it is like to use?

As the designer Paul Scheiter noted earlier, the SK-5 does feel lighter in the hand than you would expect – immediately manoeuvrable and easy to use. This is largely thanks to the full flat grind keeping just enough steel in the blade for strength without being overly thick and heavy.

There is no ‘ideal blade length’, as everyone has their own preferences, but being the only Black Bird so far, the choice of 5 inches for a general purpose survival knife is really hitting the spot for me.

To give an idea of scale, here it is next to the Fällkniven F1 and a Spyderco UK Pen Knife.

At 5″, the blade is half the overall length of the knife. Combining this with the full flat grind and full tang, even though the blade is 5″, the balance point is brought right back into the hand (see ‘The Blade and Handle Geometry:’ section), and this is the reason it feels light and easy to handle.

With this blade length you still have great control over the point and enough length to make batoning easy (if you need more than 5″ to baton, you should probably choose smaller wood or be making wedges for splitting instead).

Overall the package is small enough to carry easily, immediately making it more likely to be your survival knife (as a ‘survival knife’ is the knife you have with you when you need it).

The Black Bird is extremely comfortable in the hand, though the grip is a little boxy due to the flat sides.

Not to get started on the subject of factory edges (which by necessity have to be created quickly, typically with belt sanders, and are usually not the best edge that knife can have), but in this case I need to mention the factory edge on the Black Bird sample I received. Check back to the measurements I took and you see it was a 58 degree inclusive angle out of the box; this is more like an angle you might choose for an axe. My initial testing was with the factory edge including comparing it to the other OKC knives. (OKC said this was an anomaly as the factory edge is not normally that steep)

Despite such a large edge angle it still cut very well just requiring a higher angle of attack for each cut. Unsurprisingly it was by far the most controlled carver of all three.

Despite not needing a sharpen at this point, I wasn’t satisfied with the factory edge angle, so decided to reprofile to around 38 degrees. Even using DMT diamond stones, the 154CM steel proved to be very hard to work and the reprofiling took me a good four hours. The edge bevel is around three times as wide as the original factory edge. Was it worth it? Well, YES, a complete transformation!

Reprofiling the edge has taken a capable cutter and made it supremely efficient and eager. On a simple paper cut test it now glides through with a push cut where previously it cut perfectly well but needed some drawing across the edge. In wood I have to be careful not to over-cut. (Remember to sharpen your knives to suit you and don’t be afraid to change the edge angle)

Another characteristic this knife has is its inoffensive look. By this I mean the fact that it has a SAK style spear point which makes it look more utilitarian than many ‘survival’ knives on the market. If other people are more comfortable when they see the knife you are more likely to carry it and have it with you when you need it (if you are bothered what others might think). Obviously when sheathed you can’t see this, but overall it is easy to carry unobtrusively. If you take it out to whittle or use it for frivolous cutting tasks it doesn’t look like a weapon. It might seem a minor point, but so far I’ve found this knife getting more positive reactions than any other I’ve carried.

Review Summary

The views expressed in this summary table are from the point of view of the reviewer’s personal use. I am not a member of the armed forces and cannot comment on its use beyond a cutting tool or field/hunting knife.

Something that might be a ‘pro’ for one user can be a ‘con’ for another, so the comments are categorised based on my requirements. You should consider all points and if they could be beneficial to you.

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Things I like

What doesn’t work so well for me

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Excellent Handling and Balance.

Grip could be more contoured.

Comfortable for extended use.

Factory Edge too steep.

154CM steel with great edge retention.

154CM is harder to sharpen than other steels.

Full Flat Grind.

Showers sparks from ferro-rods.

Aftermarket sheaths available.

Discussing the Review:

Please feel free to add comments to the review, but the ideal place to freely discuss these reviews is on a forum. If you started reading the shorter forum version of the review, but followed the link this full exclusive review, please return to that forum to discuss the review there.
If you read the review entirely on Tactical Reviews, please consider one of the following to join in any discussion.

After selecting a set of three knives I felt represented what Ontario Knife Company bring to the market (Blackbird SK-5, Ranger RD Tanto and RTAK-II), I originally intended to present a single group review.
As I have got to know them better, I found that individual reviews would work better, so this page is to tie together the review series and provide a single point of reference to link to all three reviews, plus provide a few group shots for comparison.This article includes some exclusive images and comments, so is worth getting to the end of before going to an individual review.

Explained by the Maker:

The reasons for certain design choices may not be clear when simply looking at an object, so this section is intended to give an insight into the thinking behind a design by speaking to the designer themselves.

See individual reviews for this exclusive information.

A few more details:

The images at the beginning of this group review page show the unsheathed knives together. This image better shows how the sheathed knives compare in size.

Looking at blade stock thickness, top left is the RTAK-II, middle RD Tanto and bottom right is the Blackbird SK-5.

Moving back to show the three blades sitting next to each other.

The Blade and Handle Geometry:

Most knives specifications have a basic description of the blade geometry, but in this section I will be taking a more detailed look at geometry and balance.

Using a set of gauges and precision measuring equipment including a Vernier protractor, callipers, fixed radius gauges and the unique Arc Master adjustable radius gauge (the one that looks like a crossbow).

These measurements have been tabulated and are presented along with a few reference blades (8″ Chef’s Knife, 5.5″ Santoku and the popular Fällkniven F1).

The ‘Balance relative to the front of the handle’ tells you if the knife will feel front heavy, or if the weight is in your hand (a positive value means the weight is forward of the front of the handle). The ‘Balance relative to the centre of the handle’ indicates how close to a ‘neutral balance’ the knife has in the hand.

In the case of full convex grinds the approximate centre of the grind is used for the primary bevel angle estimate. This table includes the parameters for all the OKC knives in this series of reviews.

What they are like to use?

There is too much detail to describe each of these blades strengths and weaknesses in detail, so I’ll just use this opportunity to show the pointed-stick comparison side-by-side

The RTAK-II is an excellent cutter.

As a super tough extraction/digging/rescue tool, the RD Tanto struggles a bit for some basic cutting. It excels at heavy tasks though.

With the factory edge the Blackbird works well enough, but the edge angle is steep. This photo is from before an edge reprofiling after which the SK-5 cuts furiously well.

Review Summary

The views expressed in this summary table are from the point of view of the reviewer’s personal use. I am not a member of the armed forces and cannot comment on its use beyond a cutting tool or field/hunting knife.

Something that might be a ‘pro’ for one user can be a ‘con’ for another, so the comments are categorised based on my requirements. You should consider all points and if they could be beneficial to you.

Here I’ve included a very basic summing up of each knife. See individual reviews for detailed information.

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Knife

In a nutshell

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Blackbird SK-5

No-nonsense survival knife

Ranger RD Tanto

Super tough extraction/rescue tool

RTAK-II

Fantastic all-rounder

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The Ontario Knife Company RTAK II review is the second of a three-knife review series featuring the Blackbird SK-5, RD Tanto and RTAK II. (See – OKC Group Review.)

Part of the OKC RAT series, and designed by Jeff Randall and Mike Perrin of ‘Randall’s Adventure and Training’, the RTAK II (Randall’s Training and Adventure Knife) is the largest of the series. This review is looking at the plain edge variant (you can also get a part-serrated version).

The Blade and Handle Geometry:

Most knives specifications have a basic description of the blade geometry, but in this section I will be taking a more detailed look at geometry and balance.

Using a set of gauges and precision measuring equipment including a Vernier protractor, callipers, fixed radius gauges and the unique Arc Master adjustable radius gauge (the one that looks like a crossbow).

These measurements have been tabulated and are presented along with a few reference blades (8″ Chef’s Knife, 5.5″ Santoku and the popular Fällkniven F1).

The ‘Balance relative to the front of the handle’ tells you if the knife will feel front heavy, or if the weight is in your hand (a positive value means the weight is forward of the front of the handle). The ‘Balance relative to the centre of the handle’ indicates how close to a ‘neutral balance’ the knife has in the hand.

In the case of full convex grinds the approximate centre of the grind is used for the primary bevel angle estimate. This table includes the parameters for all the OKC knives in this series of reviews.

The blade is made from 5160 steel.

Explained by the Maker:

The reasons for certain design choices may not be clear when simply looking at an object, so this section is intended to give an insight into the thinking behind a design by speaking to the designer themselves.

Though this knife is well established, and Jeff Randall is no longer directly associated with OKC, he was kind enough to give me a few insights into the history and design of this knife.

The RTAK was designed based on Jeff’s and Mike’s experiences in the jungle back in the mid-90s. There were no specific plans when designing the knife, as at the time R.A.T. were simply designing a knife that would be a compromise between a full length machete and a fixed blade. Machetes are still the preferred tool in jungle environments but shorter fixed blades work better for finer work. The RTAK was Jeff’s and Mike’s vision of that compromise.
Before moving to Ontario Knife Company to be able to increase production capacity, the first RTAKs were made by Wicked Knife Company (Newt Livesay).
Mike and Jeff had been running around in the jungle and using knives enough to know what felt good in the hand. Basically they knew nothing about making a knife when they came up with the RTAK and simply based the blade length (A) and other design aspects on what works, nothing more.
The problem with a lot of big knives is the steel is too thick for the width of the blade, even on full flat grinds. This causes a geometry issue with regard to cutting efficiency, and the choice of a 3/16″ blade thickness (B) and a full flat grind (H) for the RTAK II is a compromise between toughness and cutting efficiency. A machete works so well because its overall blade geometry is thin.
When talking about the handle material / style (C) and the fact that this is seen on many OKC knives, Jeff commented that R.A.T. had introduced this handle style to OKC. Simple to produce and doesn’t have a lot of bumps and hotspots that will fatigue you during extended use.
As it is a large knife, choking up to do finer work means moving your control hand out towards the point and pinch gripping the blade; for this reason, jimping was not worth adding to the spine near the handle (D), so it was left plain. It is possible to use the choil (G) for choking up on the blade, but it was not intended for that purpose; it was mainly put in as an edge grind relief.
A long finger guard (F) and grip hook (E) come from various machete designs. Considering the finger guard specifically, after using a large knife for a while under tough conditions you want as much protection as you can get. Overall the grip and palm swell (L) were made a generous size as large handles stress you less on extended use.
Using a drop-point (I) goes back to the compromise between a fixed blade and machete; drop points do well for most tasks in the field.

A few more details:

Ontario Knife Company’s standard knife box.

Inside the box the knife has a cardboard protector over the blade, and the knife is not fitted into the sheath.

The first view of the RTAK II – now THAT is a knife!

Before going back to the knife, a quick look at a few details for the sheath. On the back, the sheath has a combination PALS/MOLLE/belt loop system. Effectively you use the top PALS strap for a belt loop and can change the placement and size using the webbing.

There are two PALS straps as the sheath is very long. Both using poppers to secure the end of the strap.

Metal eyelet holes are provided for a leg tying point and it comes with a lace fitted through the holes.

This is a long sheath, and has a pocket and twin straps to hold the handle.

Exactly as with the RD Tanto, an expanding pocket is kept closed with a plastic snap-buckle. Opening the pocket shows a fixed elastic strap keeps the pocket neat and tight onto whatever is held in the pouch.

A kydex liner is provided in the sheath, and in this case the blade fits easily without rubbing.

Both the knife retention straps are adjustable to allow the user to tighten or loosen the grip on the knife to suit.

Overall a substantial package.

Fit of the blade to the sheath is just right.

Two straps with popper closures are used to secure the handle when in the sheath.

Despite its size everything looks nicely in proportion.

OKC-USA is stamped into the blade coating on one side.

The micarta handle slabs are secured with three bolts.

All handle edges are nicely rounded over making the grip very comfortable.

A lanyard hole is included in the exposed pommel.

There is a slight overlap of the handle slabs which are shaped separately to the blade tang. You don’t notice this in use.

Not intended as a finger choil, here is the edge relief choil and its relationship to the plunge line.

For corrosion resistance, there is a blade coating. It was much rougher than I expected and is somewhat abrasive. (Any marks on the edge are due to there being a waxy protective film on the blade.)

This RTAK II arrived with a great working edge.

Once you pick it up, that large blade feels like it has shrunk and is as manoeuvrable as a much smaller blade.

What it is like to use?

The first thing that struck me, as soon as I had the RTAK II in my hand, was how much lighter than expected it felt for a knife this large. Immediately I could see myself being able to do a lot of work with minimal effort. It is a big knife but simply doesn’t feel big. Here you can see it in my hand (I take XL sized gloves) and the grip fills my hand well, and despite being one of the largest grips I’ve used, doesn’t feel a stretch.

To give another idea of scale, here it is next to the Fällkniven F1 and a Spyderco UK Pen Knife. (Yes, they do look tiny next to the RTAK II.)

Taking the RTAK II out for a few woodland tasks, it was in its element; chopping, carving, slicing, splitting, feathering all done with ease. The only real issue I could see was that rough blade coating and its tendency to pick up ‘rubbings’ (for want of a better word). This would make it less than ideal to follow up with food prep, as it will have contamination in the coating and is not easy to clean.

One of the comparisons I made to the other OKC knives was in putting a point on a stick. Due to the full flat grind, the RTAK II cut extremely well letting you chose the cut direction easily. The edge bites well, eagerly getting stuck into all woodland tasks.

Review Summary

The views expressed in this summary table are from the point of view of the reviewer’s personal use. I am not a member of the armed forces and cannot comment on its use beyond a cutting tool or field/hunting knife.

Something that might be a ‘pro’ for one user can be a ‘con’ for another, so the comments are categorised based on my requirements. You should consider all points and if they could be beneficial to you.

_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

Things I like

What doesn’t work so well for me

_______________________________________________

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Fantastic handling.

You know this knife is strapped to your leg.

Can work comfortably for long periods.

Rough blade coating.

Great slicer.

Grip could be too large for some.

Curent version is 5160 steel

‘Feels’ light

Big enough to slash, small enough for fine work.

Discussing the Review:

Please feel free to add comments to the review, but the ideal place to freely discuss these reviews is on a forum. If you started reading the shorter forum version of the review, but followed the link this full exclusive review, please return to that forum to discuss the review there.
If you read the review entirely on Tactical Reviews, please consider one of the following to join in any discussion.

The Ontario Knife Company RD Tanto is the first of a three-knife review series featuring the Blackbird SK-5, RD Tanto and RTAK II. (See – OKC Group Review.)

The RD Tanto is one of the ‘Ranger series’ of OKC knives, a heavy duty high performance range of knives designed by Justin Gingrich.

The Blade and Handle Geometry:

Most knives specifications have a basic description of the blade geometry, but in this section I will be taking a more detailed look at geometry and balance.

Using a set of gauges and precision measuring equipment including a Vernier protractor, callipers, fixed radius gauges and the unique Arc Master adjustable radius gauge (the one that looks like a crossbow).

These measurements have been tabulated and are presented along with a few reference blades (8″ Chef’s Knife, 5.5″ Santoku and the popular Fällkniven F1).

The ‘Balance relative to the front of the handle’ tells you if the knife will feel front heavy, or if the weight is in your hand (a positive value means the weight is forward of the front of the handle). The ‘Balance relative to the centre of the handle’ indicates how close to a ‘neutral balance’ the knife has in the hand.

In the case of full convex grinds the approximate centre of the grind is used for the primary bevel angle estimate. This table includes the parameters for all the OKC knives in this series of reviews.

The blade is made from 5160 steel.

Explained by the Maker:

The reasons for certain design choices may not be clear when simply looking at an object, so this section is intended to give an insight into the thinking behind a design by speaking to the designer themselves.

Though no longer directly involved with OKC, Justin Gingrich was happy to talk to me about the RD Tanto, how it came into being, and some of the design’s details.

As this was done by phone to help our discussion I sent this marked up image and include it now so I can use the same reference labels in the description.

The entire OKC Ranger series comes from Justin’s original company ‘Ranger Knives’ which he started in 2002 and eventually sold to OKC in 2008. Under OKC, Ranger Knives became the ‘Ranger series’. All Ranger Series knives have been designed by Justin and the original Ranger Series included four knives, the RD-4, 6, 7 and 9 as well as two versions of the RD Hawk. Justin continued to design the Ranger Series for around three years after selling Ranger Knives to OKC, and the RD Tanto was one of the knives designed for the OKC Ranger series.

During the time he worked with OKC, Justin continued to design various different knives and presented them to OKC for consideration. The Tanto was added as he had received a lot of demand for this style of knife.

With the RD Tanto being an additional design to an existing series, many of the design parameters were already set. Specifications such as the blade stock being 1/4 inch thick and using 5160 steel, as well as the handle design and materials, were kept the same to maintain continuity.

The final blade length (A) was chosen for a couple of reasons, but the main one actually being aesthetics. It had to look in proportion to the RD series handle and 6 1/2 – 7 inches was a sweet spot for this blade. To better understand the purpose of this blade length you need to consider that it doesn’t really fit into the category of a fine-work blade or a heavy-work blade. This blade length is a hybrid of the two and though it won’t do anything really well, it will do everything moderately well. For the person who doesn’t want to carry more than one knife, and doesn’t want to carry a heavy tomahawk or hatchet, the 6-7 inch blade allows them to more-or-less do anything they need to do, without it being too bulky to carry.
Looking at the very heavy blade stock (B), though this was carried over from the other knives in the Ranger series, the intention is to allow it to be a heavy duty tool with powerful stabbing ability. The design needed to be suitable to open a can of beans, dig, carry out extraction work such as prying open car doors or interior doors and to allow the user to really be able to lever on that blade without fear of it breaking.
Handle style (C) is something Justin has gone over with OKC a lot as he would prefer there to be more rounding on the handle slabs to increase comfort. The design originally comes from a time when the slab style of handle was very popular as a straightforward Tactical design. When working on the Ranger knives, Justin had just come out of the military so this tactical style was the one he adopted, however, his original knives had a more rounded handles than the current OKC versions.
Next to the handle, a thumb ramp with jimping (D) is included to provide additional grip strength when thrusting the knife.
Though the exposed pommel (E) allows the knife to be hammered with or hammered on, the jimping on it is not to stabilise the hammer strikes but is intended to keep your thumb in place when using a reverse grip for digging or stabbing.
There are well pronounced hooks front and back of the handle (F) as well as a palm swell (L), asking Justin how these were sized and spaced he explained that the handle shape and size came about because he designs so that it is comfortable for him to use with or without gloves.
Though views vary about the safety of using a choil (G) such as this for choking up on, Justin specifically did design this to be used for a finger to sit in and change the grip for finer work. It was sized for comfort and to enable one finger to sit in it without riding up onto the edge. He was careful not to go too big as it does increase the overall length of the blade. Asking Justin about the choil pushing the cutting edge further from the handle, he responded that with a 6 inch blade you won’t be doing a lot of food prep type cutting and if you are holding the handle you are going to be chopping, digging and slashing. For finer work where you want the edge as close to your first finger as possible you choke up on the blade and use the finger choil to get you back right up on the edge so you can apply more pressure. With a choil, when choking up on it, the change in grip takes a 6 inch blade and brings the blade back to a more manageable 4-5 inch length. Not leaving this subject right now, I pressed Justin as to why not just leave the choil out and bring the edge back to the handle? His reply was that removing the choil increases the blade length making it more daunting to do tip work with. The choil gives you two blade lengths in one knife for greater control in finer tasks.
A flat grind (H) was chosen simply for strength though this can bind or stick when chopping wood.
When asking about the use of a Tanto point (I), as mentioned earlier, there was a high demand for a Tanto design, so this piece was specifically added to fill that gap in the series.
Placing the tip position (J) directly in line with centre of grip was to make the tip as effective as possible. Whether stabbing/thrusting or using the tip as a drill, you get the most power behind the tip when it is in the centre line. If the tip is off centre the point has a tendency to travel in the direction it is already going.
The spine (K) has been kept plain and with no swedges partly for strength, but mainly to give you better purchase if you baton with it. A swedge grind chews up the baton and does not provide any real weight reduction.
Grind line position (M); though the steepness of the primary grind limits slicing sharpness, the more material there is behind the edge the less likely you are to chip that edge. When you are doing tasks like cutting through car doors, prying or processing a lot of wood, with all the material behind it you are less likely to chip the edge. You can still cut paper with it and you can still shave with it if you take the time to hone the edge, but it is not meant for super fine cutting tasks.
In the design specification, the steel is 5160. Though 1095 is a proven blade steel and has been around forever, 5160 is much tougher than 1095, and has the same or better edge retention as 10 series steel. At 56-58 HRC you will be hard pressed to break the knife because it is made from a spring steel. Typically 5160 is used for truck leaf springs as it is meant to take repeated abuse, back and forth motion, and flexing of the blade without forming stress risers or stress cracks in the steel that would lead to catastrophic failure. Failure should never happen with a knife made of 5160 and it should flex/come back, flex and come back for the life of the user.
Lastly looking at the Sheath (N), this is a standard item used by OKC and by Justin when working as Ranger Knives. It is a nylon sheath with a pouch and snap closures, plus a plastic liner to stop you cutting through it if you fall or drop the sheath. Working to a price point, the compromise of using a relatively basic but serviceable sheath was made rather than pushing the price up with a spectacular sheath.

A few more details:

Ontario Knife Company’s standard knife box.

Inside the box the knife has a cardboard protector over the blade, and the knife is not fitted into the sheath.

The first view of the RD Tanto – Heavy Duty! (Any marks on the blade are due to there being a waxy protective film on the blade.)

Before going back to the knife, a quick look at a few details for the sheath. Metal eyelet holes are provided for a leg tying point.

An expanding pocket is kept closed with a plastic snap-buckle.

Opening the pocket shows a fixed elastic strap keeps the pocket neat and tight onto whatever is held in the pouch.

Two straps with popper closures are used to secure the handle when in the sheath.

Both the knife retention straps are adjustable to allow the user to tighten or loosen the grip on the knife to suit.

A kydex liner is provided in the sheath. Due to the thickness of the blade, the fit is snug.

The back of the sheath has PALS webbing (MOLLE compatible).

Enough of the sheath, back to the RD Tanto. Each slab handle is held in place with three screws.

The RD Tanto has an exposed pommel with thumb-grip jimping. You can also see the texture and layers in the micarta handle slabs.

The Ranger Series handle around which this Tanto was designed.

A finger choil allows you to choke up the grip for finer work.

With the 1/4″ blade stock and V-grind, this tanto has a very strong point.

Another look at the grip hook. Here you can also see the micarta handle slabs extend slightly beyond the tang.

At the front of the handle is a similar hook forming the finger guard, and in front of that the finger choil.

Jimping on the thumb ramp is coarse but effective.

There is slight rounding on the plunge line. You can also see some evidence of the water-jet cutting used to create the basic blade shape.

A closer look at one of the handle bolts and the raw sanded surface of the micarta grip.

This is a HEAVY DUTY blade!

Next to the sheath for an overall view of the RD Tanto and the front of the sheath.

Flipping both over to check the other side.

Due to its thick blade stock, the RD Tanto rubs all the way in when inserting into the sheath.

With both straps closed there is no chance of this knife coming loose.

We will see more comparisons of blade thickness in other reviews in this OKC series, but here is a comparison to the RTAK II. The RD Tanto is substantially thicker.

Placed pommel to pommel, the RTAK II and RD Tanto compared again.

What it is like to use?

With a seriously heavy duty knife such as the RD Tanto, before looking at what it is like to use, it is important to consider your expectations for a knife like this and what it will give you.

There is little finesse in a knife of such heavy build – it is a bruiser and unashamed of that. Built for those jobs you would balk at using a knife for, but you want to be prepared for and can only justify carrying one knife/tool.

So if you want to do some delicate whittling and sophisticated food preparations but still want to be able to breeze through a fire door or release someone trapped in a vehicle, you will be disappointed.

For everyday tasks this knife is vastly over engineered and will disappoint most with its cutting characteristics. But, this is NOT why you choose a knife like this.

Look at it next to the Fällkniven F1 and a Spyderco UK Pen Knife. This photo doesn’t do justice of the heavy build in relation to those other knives.

Having put aside the notion that this might go on your belt or pack for ‘normal’ knife work, we can move onto its more serious purpose – Heavy Work.

My hands take XL sized gloves and the grip fills my hand well. When you are really going to be beating a knife the last thing you want is a slim grip, so a good handful makes for a solid grip.

As penetration is a Tanto’s strong point (pun intended) the thumb ramp combined with deep hooks on the grip gives you a great power behind the thrust.

You can either hammer on the exposed pommel or in this case give something a good pounding with it.

Taking the RD Tanto out for a few woodland tasks it was surprisingly capable, but does feel heavy. One of the comparisons I made to the other OKC knives was in putting a point on a stick. Due to the steep edge bevel, the RD Tanto had a tendency to slide off the stick and this resulted in a long point which was formed like this due to the cutting action tending to push away from the centre of the stick. The edge itself is sharp and cuts cleanly but needs to be angled far more ‘into’ the material than most.

Will you want a knife like this? If you want to be prepared for all eventualities, then yes I would say you do. It would not be my every day choice, but it is a choice I want to have and a knife I continue to grab when preparing for certain situations.

To date I’ve not had any doors to demolish, or vehicles to gain entry to, but can tell you this is a tool I would happily take for the task. During some severe weather, which was threatening structural damage to buildings, the tool I kept within arm’s length at all times during the threat was the RD Tanto, and it gave me confidence to know I had it.

Review Summary

The views expressed in this summary table are from the point of view of the reviewer’s personal use. I am not a member of the armed forces and cannot comment on its use beyond a cutting tool or field/hunting knife.

Something that might be a ‘pro’ for one user can be a ‘con’ for another, so the comments are categorised based on my requirements. You should consider all points and if they could be beneficial to you.

_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

Things I like

What doesn’t work so well for me

_______________________________________________

_______________________________________________

Super Heavy Duty Build in 1/4″ blade stock

‘Feels’ too heavy for daily tasks

5160 spring steel

Steep edge angle

Tanto point penetration

Edge can bind during wood preparation

You can confidently work this knife hard!

Discussing the Review:

Please feel free to add comments to the review, but the ideal place to freely discuss these reviews is on a forum. If you started reading the shorter forum version of the review, but followed the link this full exclusive review, please return to that forum to discuss the review there.
If you read the review entirely on Tactical Reviews, please consider one of the following to join in any discussion.